Simple language Features Flashcards
Metaphor
Saying something is something else
- (e.g., “Time is a thief”).
Simile
Comparing using “like” or “as”
- (e.g., “Busy as a bee”).
Personification
Giving human traits to non-human things
- (e.g., “The stars danced”).
Alliteration
Repeating the first letter sound
- (e.g., “Peter Piper picked…”).
Assonance
Repeating vowel sounds
- (e.g., “The rain in Spain”).
Hyperbole
Extreme exaggeration
- (e.g., “I’m starving!”).
Oxymoron
Two opposite words together
- (e.g., “jumbo shrimp”).
Juxtaposition
Placing opposites side by side
- (e.g., “dark and light”).
Imagery
Descriptive language that paints a picture.
Symbolism
Using one thing to represent another
- (e.g., a heart for love).
Irony
Opposite of what’s expected.
Repetition
Repeating words for effect.
Rhetorical question
A question asked for effect, not an answer
- (e.g., “Who knows?”).
Mood
The feeling created in the reader
- (e.g., gloomy, joyful).
Tone
The writer’s attitude
- (e.g., serious, funny).
Pun
A joke using wordplay
- (e.g., “I’m reading a book on anti-gravity—it’s impossible to put down!”).
Allusion
A reference to something well-known
- (e.g., “He’s a real Romeo”).
Anaphora
Repeating the start of a sentence
- (e.g., “We shall fight… We shall win…”).
Euphemism
A nice way of saying something harsh
- (e.g., “passed away”).
Onomatopoeia
Words that sound like their meaning
- (e.g., “buzz,” “bang”).
Colloquialism
Everyday language or slang.
Listing
A series of items to emphasize quantity or variety
- (e.g., “He packed socks, shoes, and shirts”).
Tone shift
A change in the author’s attitude or feeling during the text
- (e.g., from happy to sad).
Contrast
Showing opposites to highlight differences
- (e.g., “hot and cold”).
Inclusive + Exclusive language
- Words like “we” and “us” that make the reader feel included.
- Words like “they” and “them” that separate or distance a group.
Minor sentences
Incomplete sentences that make a point
- (e.g., “Wow!”).
Short sentences
Incomplete sentences that make a point (e.g., “Wow!”).
Long sentences
Used for detail or to slow down the pace. Adds depth or suspense.
Emotive Language
Words that make the reader feel emotions
- (e.g., “horrible,” “beautiful”).
Complex Sentences
Sentences with one main idea and a supporting idea
- (e.g., “Although it rained, we walked”).
Compound Sentences
Sentences with two main ideas joined by a word like “and” or “but” (e.g., “I ran, and she walked”).
